Best WMATA breakdown

Jan. 26

Poor Metro. What with the suicide attempts, the employee-theft arrests, and those endless explanations for why escalator technology is more complicated than mere members of the general public can ever imagine, it’s hard for still more bad subway news to even register these days. But then the system has occurrences like that of like Jan. 26. In the morning, there was a broken rail, which meant Red line riders on their way to work were caught in massive delays during rush hour. Then a power failure that night caught WMATA communications officials unawares, which meant riders received no messages about why they were sitting motionless for up to an hour on their way home. The breakdown came not long after the agency admitted that the next few years are going to be pretty terrible for riders as Metro undergoes much-needed repairs and upgrades. Oh, and that it wants to raise fares. Hey, you might as well laugh while you cry. Jan. 26 was a day to lean back on a plastic-covered Metro seat cushion and do just that.